TONY Mowbray has confirmed that Boro did talk to Swansea about re-signing Danny Graham.

TONY Mowbray has confirmed that Boro did talk to Swansea about re-signing Danny Graham.

The 27-year-old Geordie has this afternoon completed a £5m move from South Wales to Sunderland, signing a three-and-a-half year deal.

Boro discussed a possible move for Graham - who started his professional career with the club - after the striker was booed when he came off the Swansea bench at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.

Boro’s reckoning was that the player had submitted a transfer request citing family circumstances and desired a return to his native North-east, then his only other option was Teesside if he got cold feet about a move to Wearside.

Swansea were open to selling him to Boro after the club tabled a player plus cash offer. That player is believed to be long-term Swansea target Marvin Emnes.

But Graham had set his heart on staying in the Premier League, undergoing a medical today before putting pen to paper.

“I had a conversation with Swansea,” Mowbray confirmed. “He is a player we did enquire about.

“Really, it only arose in my mind after driving back from a game I attended on Tuesday and heard there had been a little of negativity towards Danny when he came off the bench at the Stadium of Light.

“I had also read that for personal reasons he wanted to return to the North-east and if that was the case Middlesbrough fits the criteria.

“And he could help us because he scores goals and maybe he could make the difference to us getting into the Premier League.”